First revealed in 1648, the Lutheran hymn, Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend (“Lord Jesus Christ, be current now!”), supplied a fertile supply for J.S. Bach. Bach created at the least 5 wildly contrasting settings of the melody, every of which pertains to a selected side of the textual content. The melody is by an nameless composer. (It has been erroneously attributed to Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar). Starting with an ascending triad, the hymn represents a passionate invocation, which was historically sung in Lutheran church buildings because the minister entered the pulpit to ship a sermon.
Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, BWV 332
Let’s start by listening to Bach’s four-part harmonization of the melody in its most easy chorale type:
Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, BWV 632
On this vivid, jubilant chorale prelude from Bach’s Orgelbüchlein (“Little Organ Guide”), the ascending arpeggio which opens the melody takes on a lifetime of its personal, blossoming into steady embellishment:
Trio tremendous Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 655
Right here, the melody offers the seed out of which a joyful organ trio develops. A vibrant contrapuntal dialog unfolds between the 2 keyboard voices and the third bass voice, performed within the foot pedal. The Netherlands Bach Society observes that the music is infused with “a splash of Italian verve,” as “the jubilant higher elements are successfully propelled alongside by a Vivaldian quick-paced bass line.” Within the last moments, the hymn melody emerges majestically within the bass line. The ambiance pertains to the hymn’s third stanza, which references a bunch of angels, “everlasting pleasure and blissful mild.”
Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, BWV 709
This solemn and meditative music pertains to the hymn’s second stanza, “Lord, lead us in thy holy Methods.” The soprano line floats above three decrease voices, which include fragments of the unique chorale melody. The earliest of the settings, Bach composed this music earlier than 1710:
Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, BWV 726
Bach will need to have had the exalted, earth-shattering final stanza in thoughts when he created this last setting. It’s a four-part chorale, interspersed with exuberant keyboard thrives. As with the primary setting we heard (BWV 332), it was meant to accompany the congregation’s singing. However for this last stanza, the heavens appear to open up, with thrillingly daring harmonic surprises.
a translation of the total textual content:
Lord Christ, reveal thy holy Face,
And ship the Spirit of thy Grace,
To fill our Hearts with fervent Zeal
To study thy Reality, and do thy Will.Lord, lead us in thy holy Methods,
And educate our Lips to inform thy Reward,
Enhance our Religion, and lift the identical
To style the Sweetness of thy Title.Until we with Angels be part of to sing
Th’everlasting Reward of Thee, our King;
Until we will see Thee Face to Face,
And all of the Glories of thy Grace.To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Be Honour, Reward, and Glory giv’n,
By all on Earth, and all in Heav’n.
Featured Picture: First web page of manuscript of Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, BWV 655a